PARIS – Who’s Next is coming home, or rather, home is coming to Who’s Next.
WSN is continuing to expand its range of categories and services for the upcoming fall edition of its trio of trade shows held each September, adding new tracks and a home products section.
This season’s edition, given the sunny moniker “Where the Summer Never Ends,” aims to create a vibrant atmosphere that brings together all branches of the apparel and accessories industries, from manufacturers to brands.
WSN chief executive officer Frédéric Maus said organizers took a “360 overview” of exhibitor and buyer needs to shape the new sourcing initiative.
“We have nearly the whole chain under one roof,” Maus noted. The three trade shows — Who’s Next for apparel, Interfilière for lingerie and swimwear, and Bijorhca for jewelry — are held concurrently at Paris’ Porte de Versailles. The new sourcing track is designed to connect these sectors, fostering collaboration through shared solutions.
The program will bring together producers, manufacturers, artisans, component suppliers, and finishers.
“The exhibitors need a lot of support, because of the economic situation,” Maus said, noting the particular impact on the retail sector. He observed that while e-commerce boomed post-pandemic, brands started to over-rely on the channel. Now people are seeking immersive experiences and interaction with products, and wholesale is making a comeback.
“For brands, the strategy of having both e-commerce and a strong wholesale network allows them to develop different channels [to offset] declines,” he added.
Who’s Next is introducing a new homewares and interiors section this edition, launching with 40 brands.
“It’s a complementary offering for fashion boutiques that are evolving quickly. Stores are becoming more like concept stores,” said Maus, calling it the “concept-ization” of retail. The section will be styled as a shop-in-shop, complete with a hybrid café, exhibition space, and pop-up boutique showcasing curated items for sale, which fits with the immersive experience idea.
The fair will also debut Who’s Next Lab, a space dedicated to showcasing innovations in production technology, including textile printing, live-printed ceramics, and bio-inspired materials. Artisans will create pieces live during the event.
The combined trade shows – Who’s Next, Interfilière, and Bijorhca – drew about 48,000 visitors last season. Maus said pre-registrations are already surpassing that number. “It means the buyers are coming, and that’s who our brands want to meet,” he said.
An exhibit at Matter&Shape
The new Home segment will be led by Matthieu Pinet, founder of Matter&Shape, which took place in February.
“We noticed fashion brands presenting like design houses, so we invited design brands to join,” said Pinet. The segment will launch with lines from the tableware, furniture, lighting, and textile design categories.
“Many [of the brands] have a strong fashion DNA, even if they’re in design. There’s no real divide anymore. These brands share creativity and purpose,” he said.
In addition, Pinet will launch a new showroom in central Paris, showcasing 11 curated exhibitors specializing in lace and embroidery. “It’s a much more intimate format than what we usually do at Porte de Versailles,” he said. This is intended to become an annual event.
Bijorhca is relaunching its watchmaking section as part of a broader plan to revitalize the show. “It’s a strategy to rebuild this 80-year-old show show step-by-step,” said Bijorhca head Sylvie Maisonnave.
Reflecting on Run, WSN’s concept to connect buyers with emerging designers in a showroom and runway space held during fashion week in March, Maus acknowledged the challenges of breaking through in the current market. “The buying atmosphere, to be honest, was really tough,” he said. However, he pointed to shifting consumer desires that can become an opportunity for indie designers and brands.
“Lots of people have gained a fashion maturity in really a short amount of time,” he said, attributing the change to education via Instagram or other social channels. This has piqued people’s interest in uniqueness, quality and craftsmanship, a space he hopes gives young designers room to grow.
“We can now find a window for them to develop and maybe take a part of this [money] that was spent on luxury brands before,” he said.
Maus also highlighted WSN’s acquisition in May of the Labomode Group, parent company of Strasbourg-based industry data services Fashop and PagesMode. The move is aimed at developing new trend tracking and forecasting tools for brands.
The acquisition “strengthens our solutions portfolio,” said Maus. WSN plans to expand this capability into lifestyle and interior design categories as well.